Some Queen's Park guards will have handguns

The Ontario Legislature will arm some of its security officers with handguns, Speaker Dave Levac says.

In a memo to occupants of Queen’s Park on Thursday, Levac said that the Legislative Security Service will deploy an “armed response unit” effective March 21.

The action follows a review of security arrangements that began after the October 2014 shooting incident at Parliament Hill.

A radicalized Michael Zehaf-Bibeau shot and killed Cpl. Nathan Cirillo while he served as a sentry at the National War Memorial. Zehaf-Bibeau was then shot dead after he stormed Parliament Hill.

“A number of changes were made immediately and others since that time, all with a view to ensuring Ontario’s seat of parliament is a scecure and safe location for legislators, their staff and Assembly staff, visiting school groups, the many dignitaries and the tens of thousands of other visitors who come to the Legislative Assembly each year,” Levac says in his memo. “My goal when considering appropriate security arrangements is always to balance the need for the Parliamentary Precinct to be an open and welcoming place for all while at the same time ensuring everyone can go about their business is a secure and safe environment.”

Currently, none of the precinct’s security officers carry guns.

The handguns will be carried by a number of officers stationed throughout Queen’s Park, Levac said.

Security for Premier Kathleen Wynne is handled by a special unit of the OPP.